'Equal Parts' Cocktails Aren't So Equal After All

Back in 2012, when I lived in the great city of Chicago, I used to spend a lot of time at a bar called Scofflaw, in Logan Square. I primarily did two things at this bar: 1) talk to Danny Shapiro, the bartender and co-owner and 2) drink “neo negronis.” The neo negroni is Scofflaw’s riff on a negroni, in which Shapiro subbed byrrh (a wine-based apéritif) for vermouth, ditched Campari for Luxardo, and doubled the amount of gin. Though I had been a fan of the classic negroni—which is equal parts vermouth, Campari, and gin—for some time, it was hard to return to it after experiencing the neo.

The negroni is just one of many classic cocktails that is known for having an “equal parts” ratio. Cocktails of this ilk are great because—let’s be honest—there’s not a lot to remember, and you don’t even need a jigger to make one; just put the same amount of each bottle into the glass, shake or stir, and there you go. But here’s the problem: Equal-parts cocktails don’t always taste so good. Palates have evolved since these ratios were codified.

“People who are going out drinking today want to taste their base spirits,” Shapiro explained on a recent visit to New York. The bartender stopped by the Bon Appétit test kitchen, where we did side-by-side taste tests of “equal parts” cocktails versus new ratios that he uses. Here are our results:

The Last WordOld Ratio: Equal parts Luxardo Maraschino, Green Chartreuse, lime juice, and Beefeater or other London Dry ginNew Ratio: 1 part Luxardo Maraschino, 1 part Green Chartreuse, 1 part lime juice, and 1 2/3 parts ginThe Reasoning: “This drink is just too sweet when it’s equal parts,” explains Shapiro. And (are you sensing a pattern?), “I want to taste the gin, and the way I taste the gin is to add more of it.”

Vieux CarréOld Ratio: Equal parts rye whiskey, Cognac, and sweet vermouth, plus ¼ part Benedictine and dashes of Angostura and Peychauds bittersNew Ratio: 1 part rye whiskey, 1 part Cognac, ½ part sweet vermouth (preferably Carpano Antica), plus ¼ part Benedictine and dashes of Angostura and Peychauds bittersThe Reasoning: “This drink is totally fine,” admits Shapiro, “but we prefer it to be more Cognac-and-rye-forward,” which is why he drops down the vermouth, turning it into more of a “cognac-and-rye-whiskey Manhattan with a little bit of Benedictine.”

Corpse Reviver #2Old Ratio: Equal parts London Dry gin, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, and lemon juice, with an absinthe rinseNew Ratio: 2 parts gin, 1 part Cocchi Americano, 1 part orange liqueur such as Marie Brizard orange curaçao, and 1 part lemon juice, with an absinthe rinseThe Reasoning: “Classics tend to be sweeter and more approachable. The versions we’re making are more spirit-driven,” Shapiro explains. In terms of swapping out different spirits: ”Lillet has a high water content, so it’s not great for cocktails. Cocchi is modeled on what Lillet used to taste like.” Because the increase in gin will make the drink significantly more dry, Shapiro uses a sweeter orange liqueur for balance; if you use this ratio with Cointreau, the drink will taste off.